Two sides to meet today in Lake Forest teachers strike

In affluent district, it's about the money; some parents counterprotest

Teachers walk the picket line for the second day in a row at Lake Forest High School. (Jeff Danna Chicago Tribune)

Two days into a teachers strike at Lake Forest High School, the two sides have agreed to meet for a bargaining session this afternoon, union officials say.

“After waiting for more than 39 hours to hear the board’s response to our last offer, the (Lake Forest Education Association) looks forward to substantial negotiations,” Tom Gigiano, the union’s lead negotiator, said in a statement on the teachers website. “We will continue to work toward a fair and equitable contract agreement."

Teachers walked out Wednesday after failing to reach an agreement over salaries and benefits during talks that ended just before midnight Tuesday. The strike affects about 1,700 students and about 150 teachers and staff members.

The board has offered pay increases of 2.6 percent in fiscal year 2013, 3.4 percent in 2014 and 3.4 percent in 2015, according to the district. It has also asked teachers to start paying for a percentage of their insurance coverage.

The union maintains that since teacher pay was frozen last year in a one-year contract, that should be taken into consideration in the new pact. The union proposed raises equal to 5.6 percent in 2013, 6.5 percent in 2014 and 5.6 percent in 2015, according to district figures.

The average teacher in the district makes $106,500, compared with a statewide average of about $65,000, according to the Illinois State Board of Education.

Teachers also oppose a two-tiered salary structure proposed by the board. New teachers would make less money over time than teachers under the current structure, officials said.

Students and parents are also concerned about the effect on athletic games and other extracurricular events. A field hockey game Wednesday against North Shore rival New Trier High School was canceled, and Friday night's football game against Lake Zurich is among coming events in question.

A spokesman for the Illinois High School Association confirmed that a district official had inquired about whether this week's school days could be marked as teacher institute days so that sports matches could go on as scheduled. The IHSA said that wasn't permissible.

"We are very disappointed with this decision as we believe it is in the best interest of our students to continue scheduled activities," said school board President Sharon Golan.